thomson



Sweeps-Sheet l J. THOMSON. DIAPHRAGM FLUID MEIER.4

(No Model.)

(NoModel.) sheets-sheet 2.

"J. THOMSON.

DIAPHRAGM 4FLUID METER. No. 318,327. Patented May 19, 1885.

W itnesses Inventor.' 4

. f, j em,"

(No Model.) -3 SheeLs-Sheet. 3.

J* THOMSON.

DAPHRAGM FLUID METER.

10,318,321 Patented May' 19, 1885,

r l a Witnesses l K Ihventor.'

JOHN TilliSOiT, OF BROOKLYN,

lfin'rsnr @triest SPECEECATIQH forming part of Letters .Pe/tent No. 3.3.8,325?, dated May 3.9, Applicatonlcd January 31, 1885. (No model.)

-ton shifts a valve to direct the iii-current first to one side and then to the other of the piston; and my invention consists in certain iniprovenients in the constructions of the parte intended to secure greater simplicity of construction and certainty of operation.

In the drawings, Figure l is a centnal vertiA cal section through the ingress and egress openings of the cylinder, the slnice-i ing, valve chamber, andarci tref-- Eig. 2 herizontetseevtion on lineli of Fig, l as viewed i'roni above. 3 is a central vertical section on line C, es;- posing the intermediate waterways in cylin-l der, situee-ring, and valve-chamber. Fig. liisaf plan of the upper cylinder as viewed from bclovv, With the sluice-ring and valvechaniber in position. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of Veivechaniber and valve. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of valve-actuating apparatus with valve in longitudinal section and one side oi" valvecha-niber removed. Fig. 7 is a central horizontal section of valve and. valve-chamber.

lThe .valve-casing consists of the body or cap piece 2, the bottom piece, l, and a removable chamber or sluice-ring fi.

The cap or body 2` is constructed, to forxn with the sluice-ring a curved inlet-channel, a, communicating centrally with au inlet-port, c, and a curved. outlet-channel communicating centrally with an outlet-port, d, and with ventical channels i/ f: at the opposite sides. with theirujnper ends bet-,Ween short partitions 7 7.l

The sluicering el is constructed to forni said channels a o with the body portion, l.and has partitions 8 55, constituting prolongations of the partitions 7 7, and between the inner ends ofthe partitions 8 8, on opposite sides, tits a valve-casing, ill. i

Below sluicering is a flexible diaphragin or pist-on, 58, which is connected with devices, as fully described hereinafter, to shift the valve to direct the inioir 'to one side or the other of the piston und cause its rise and Y fall. l

To 'avoid complicated core-Work and nice machine-Work Within. the cap -piece 2, the main ingress and egress sluices a b are formed equally by the cylinder and by the sluice-ring 4;-, the closure oi'l the sluices being etteoted by the contact ofthe tapered faces 5-6 at an angie. This angle of contact is made as obtuse as possible, as shown,` which permits the use of and the more convenient insertion. of thin vsluice-ring and cylinder, when, by forcing the sluice-ring down snugly by means of the retaining-screws 9, Fig. 4, first, the required degree ot closure is obtained, and, second, in

is not materially shifted by the sliding ,action #eti the surfaces iorcedrttorceniucn Thus any inaccuracy in the metal surfaces will net materially affect the perfection of the joint. In the saine manner a close joint between the valve-case 10 and sluice-ring is secured; but in this instance the contiguous faces ll l1 are simply formedlike a wedge, the angles of both being equal and even more obtuse than those oi the sluice-ring and cylinder. A piece oi" packing cut to the shape of the faces around the ports is secured or sixnplylaid in position, andthe valve-casing is secured by the clamps l2 and screws 13. v In this Wise the joint canbe perfectly made with but little fitting, and the parts can be readily separated, and be placed accurately in position., and can be ad` justed endwise or laterally, as will be apprehended, across the ports by varying the thickness of the packing'on either end. It -vvill he apprehended that the said joints are not required to withstand the total pressure egress chambers within the'mcter.

slidevalve and piston-valve, and is so formed fect equilibrium, under constant tir/different static pressuresend under direct and reaction'- ary ett'ects of currents ot` either low or high velocity. rlhe movements of the valve are ef` fectedfrom those of the diaphragm 58, as will be'hereinafter fully described.

pieces of packing between the surfaces of the' view ot' the said obtuse angles, the packing.

ot' the fluid like the cylinder, but the differ. ence of pressure only between theingress and The valve le embodies the principles of-iii` and arranged that in action it will'be in perroo casing and within the valvechztmber.

The operation and construction ofthe valve lWill be best understood by referring to Figs.

5 andr. `'lhevalve is supported on a narrow longitudinal bearing, 15, at the lower portionI of the valve-chamber, and is fitted to more vfreely within. its recess, but suciently eiose to remain packed under any excess ot' pressure Within the -meter at any point. 'When the valve is in the position shown, the ingress current passes through the channel 24 and tbe port 19 into the chamber above the diaphragm, the port 20 being closed by the forward end or section 28 of the valve, port 21 being also closed by the back end or extension, 25. The egress current -mcantime is being forced through the intermediate sluiee or channehfi?, through port 23, and thence out through slnice 24, as shown by the arrows. Both the outer surfaces oi" the ends` of the-valve are exposed to the ingress pressure, end both the inner surfaces of the ends are exposed to the egress pressure lWhatever the difference of pressure maybe, it will clearly be Without effect upon the vulve if the latter' is strong enough to beur ill-that is, there will be no eii'ect from any difference of pressure tending; either to hold the valve or to shift it. It' is also clear that as the faces or edges of the valve which close the ports are under the equal effect ofthe direct currents .through the vulve-chamber, the vulve will operate without friction or abrasion upon thc portions of the channels between which it slides and which it is intended to close, 1t has been l'ound that when the difference of pressure is but slight the valve muy Ybe fitted very loosely und the meter yet operate with satisfactory results, the lilni of iluid surrounding the valve being maintained by the cnpillary attraction oi' the contiguous surfaces, the vulve being thus yfrictionless und wnterpacked, and without metal contact, except on its bem-ing; at the bottom. lt will furthermore bc observed that the pressure on the inner faces ol' the valve ends will also be in balnncc with respect to thodirect and reactionary ellcct duc l o the changent direction of the current from t lic i ntcrinediai e to the egress sluice, or vice versn, :is its direct action and reaction is upon equal uro-as oi' and borne by and between the ports of the vulve itself. Upon the outer faces ot' the valve ends, hQwevcr,-the reaetiouary elle-ot due to the changed direction ot' the ingress and egress currents is dill'erent. n lligJi l have purposely omitted to illus,- trate one ol' the more importent tentures of my improved valve the better to demonstrate the principle involved in the portion to be now described.

lr'csu ming that the valve-chamber and val ve were suspended und operated in a vessel of infinite extent, flic direct ell'oct ofthe egress current would be entirely expended upon the greater volume ol' fluid in which it wus being reine-reci' riuid und expend. the reforced, and would therefore retrensniitits1 effect equally in all directions upon the mass of finiti; hence its reaction upon the fece 26, Fig. 6, would be practically counterseted. by the indirect action through the fluid upon the fece 25. in actual practice, however, it is required. that the mechanism of the instrument be placed in the minimum of space, in consequence of which the etiiuent current will only partially expend the force due to its yelocity upon the 'greater volume of duid in which it is projected, end will pass through sidual of its force upon the confining-Wells of the meter. Consequently the direct action of the current being only partiallyexpended upon the duid in which the valve is suspended, it can only return to the fece 25 that portion which will have' been taken up by the mein body of iiuid, while the reaction of tiret portion of the force expended upon the rigid Wall will be entirely returned to the face 25 ci' the valve. To this extent, then, the vsive, and any valve `under like conditions, Whether-.in liquid or gas, will be out of balance, and will. require a varying expenditure of power to shift its position, or in a ratio directly es the velocity of the current. Iobviate this dit culty by attaching to or forming es e part ot' the valve the counter-pressure plates 29 30, Figs. fi and 7, by which it will ie seen that the current-s which pess the oute faces, 25 26, ere caused to act und react within the limits of the valve itself, and hence, regardless of, their velocity, will predueeno upon the valve that in any way can assist or retard its movement. The importance oi' thus. elimimeting each and all causes which can produce under any condition of liow or pressure, singly or in combination, a deterrent or accelerative eect upon the movement of the valve is that l am thereby enabled to perfectly balance the valve against variations of pressure or flow, und to use a diaphragm of very thin or elastic material, and yet obtain practically-uniiorm displacement ofjvolume under all rentes and conditions of flow and operation.

The valve is also ot the most simple character, easily inadeand iittcd.

The counter-pressure plates 29 30 need not necessarily be pinned or grouudon theirsides. Therefore these surfaces are preferably formed slight-ly beneath the mein surfaces of the '12o valve, which act to close the ports.

A rock-shaft, 36, turns in bearings in stenderols 95199, and carries ac'rossaru, no, 'to tiA ends of which urejournnled the inner ends ofrods 37, the outer ends of the latter sliding in openings in brackets rlhe valve is actuated by togglespringsl 32, which are coiled on the. rods 37:, and upon being drawn to either side slightly beyond4 their dead-center line i act through the arms I $53, carried by the rock-shaft 3d, directly upon a tooth or extension, 3i, on the valve. The action of the arms and springs is so timed relatively that the valve is put into inotion by the direct action of the piston slightly in advance of themovement of the springs. Thus 'the springs are not required to overcome the entire inertia of the valve, but take it at the speed at which the piston is moving. This-l `also prevents stoppage by obstruction of foreign matter. tl/'hen both springs are operative, their thrust upon the journal is balanced;

'but even in the event of one spring becoming also very prompt as soon as the dead-center is passed, as it will be seen that each acts in the arc of a circle instead or" at a tangent thereto, as in other devices.

Upon the end of each rod 37 is a connecting-block, 38, and also a sliding and bearing block, 39, between which is. the spiral spring 32. This form of spring is capable of being very thoroughly tested before use, and it is durable, and will remain for a long tiniein an operative condition.

The compression of the springs and start of the valve are eected from the diaphragm through the segmentgear 40', fast to the shaft Y35, which meshes with a rack, 4l, sliding on the guide-rods 42. From the rack projects a pin, 43, and which enters a slot in the pistonrod 45, which is directly connected to the piston or diaphragmr. The advantage of this arrangement over an ordinary lever-connection is that the connection with the piston is direehand that tlLeactnating-.epringsmay 'be elevated without correspondingly increasing *the piston rod and height or" the cylinder, lthe connection with the raclr being low down,

while a lever would .require to be central and higher.

,and 'arrangement of actuating mechanism is A further advantage of this forni 'of valve the avoidance of Waterhammer or pulsation in the pipe during the flow or at the reversal ofthe current through the meter.

.The combined area of the eluices or ports ed 4l?, and also of e8 49, slightly exceeds the area of the ingress-pipe. ln the illustration, lldig. 7, the thickness of the valve is shown as .a little less than half of the width of the ports `'ruediately the valve is started both the inpast `which it travels. lt will be seen that inigress and egress currents are being cut oil in like and equaleatent, and that when the valve #will have reached the position indicated by Adotted outlines 50 the current throughthe in-y 'fternlediate sluice and the cylinder' of the nie- .fter will-have been correspondingly reduced in velocity. t The valve, continuing its transit,

opens the ports previously closed 5 but the full velocity of the current will not be resumed unt'l the valve will have reached its reverse pos ion (indicated by dotted lines 5l.) in con- I sequence of the valve closing a portion of the Aarea required for passing a full volume ofiluid.

Therefore, although the described action of the valve is performed with great rapidity, its action 1s yet a cumulative one, and a certain extent of time is allowed in which to smoothly effect the expenditure of -enegry required to reverse the current through the intermediate sluices, Water-ways, and cylinder.

The movement of the valve is limited by they stops .c .r on the bearing-piece l5, and the action of therarins 33 and springs is limited by the stop-pin 44, as shown.

It will be apprehended that by forming the valve-sections to equal in thickness the breadth of the' slnices a complete stoppage of the flow would be effected at each reversal ofthe valve, and that the meter would thus' be mathements; but this has not been foundnecessary in practice, and as the form described requires less movement to eli'ect a full reversal, and as it reduces pulsations, it is preferable. This forni also presents another advantage, in that `an obstruction which would prevent the valve from fully reaching its proper position would not thereby render the instrument totally inoperative, as the ports being open on the proper side the piston would operate at a less rate of speed until the valve was again shifted and the obstruction liberated. It is evident that the counter-pressure plates may be advantageously applied to any or all ofthe various valve systemaand that the present forni of valve might be considerably modi-v lied without departing from the principle of its action, 'as it might be Wedgeshaped, circular, as a piston, vibrating, or rotary valve. l dTheadvantage of forming the valvecasing in two portions is that each half may thus be cast Without coring to Yform the sluices, and as each face is a counterpart of the others they are made by a like means. The fitting ofthe thejoint between the flanges at 52. It will be observed that the disposition` of the entire valveactuating apparatus (as also the register-conncctions, which are not shown in the figures) is above the valve and the ports of the chamber; hence they are in dead-wa ter, and not so liable to disarrangenlent as when otherwise disposed.

as a frustuin of a cone. By forming the pressurecones 5i 55 slightly curved inward in crosssection, as shown at points 56, the diaphragm is caused to .roll upon them and opcrate with much greater' perfection thanwhen coughed to bear on a straight or oppositely curved section. I also extend the cones above and over the piston, as at 57, thus completely enveloping the diaphragm, so that any deposit of foreign matter will be sustained upon the metal portion of the piston 58, or around the inder.

To secure the outer edge of the diaphragm, l form the cones 5i 55 with parallel vertical iiunges 60 6l,turned outwardly, with sufficient Space betiveen them totalre and clamp the diaphragui snugly. An annular recess, 62, is formed in the upper cylinder of such depth as'to bring ln constructiuffthedia hruvin itisfornied e D s i annular space 59 between the cone and the cyl-l matically exact in the sum of its displace-l valve is effected by extension or reduction of IIO the outer surface, as. 63, nsb with or sligiitly below tbeizice of the riange. The breadth of the flange ofthe lower cylinder is such that it laps the'flnnge of the cones. Therefore byA in position, equally and jointly constituting a series of water sluices or tially as described.

2. The casing;- lisving inictand ont-let ports, and partitions 7, and channels y z, in combichzmnels, substannation with @detachable slnicering; carrying partitions 8, and o. detachable valve-casing provided wit-ii a valve and channels, and iitting between the partitions 8, substantially as described.

3. Tile cap-'piece 2, ixziving upper and lower bearing surfaces :ind fri-ees or purtitionst en obtuse angle connecting tbe said surfaces.

. and thereby forming intermediate depressions,

andthcsluice-ring having corresponding beuringsurfnces and partitions at n likeobinseengie, and intcrincdinlc depressions, substaniieiiy as described.

fi. Tbe sluice-ring having faces et obtuse.

angle, and detachable valve-casing fitting between said faces, and. with bearings corresuonding thereto, substantially described.

5. The combination ofthe casing having opposits inlet und outlet passages, a. and cliennels y z, and partitions 8 8, substantially es described, and :i detachable va! rre-casing carrylng a. valve, Ind provided with e. control cliennel, 22, and side channels, 2i, substantially as specified.

6. The valve sliding across s casing having a. central and side channels and consisting oi s rectangular ironic, substantially as described.

with a frame-valve the ends of which are less 4fin thickness iilan'tbe width of the sidcfcbsunels, for the pnrposespecifed.

9. The combination, with the valve o' ai wotenmeter, of plates supported thereby, arranged to counterbalance the ei'ect of weitercurrents upon tlic ends ol the valve, subst-.1ntially as described.

lo. Tile combination of tbe casing, ports, channels, piston, and voire crossing and .conf troiiing the ports ond provided with ceros carrying plates 259 30, for the purpose set fortis.. li. Tbe Voire supported by .s narrow longi tudinai bearing, substantially as described.

` 12. The Valve-easing in two parte, with an intermediate valve supported by e narrow strip clamped between seid pertssnbstantieiiy es described.,

13. The combination, with o sliding voire, of e rock-shaft provided with arms operating ent/be weise, sind on opposite sides, extended through vibrating bearings, and withsprings arranged on the said rods to be compressed as tbe conn(actingpoints of the rods approach a line drown through theaxis ofthe shaft and seid vibra-ting bearings, the said springs oct-ing against ecc'n othensnd thereby balancing their thrust upon the rocirlsiioft, 'substantially as described.

M. The combination of the slidingl valve,

rock-shaft- 36, its erm 35, rods connected to said arm on opposite sides and sliding.,r in been'n ings of vibrating brackets 93, and springs tcrposcd between the brckets snd'beerings on tbe rods, substantially as' described, theormngeznent and consti'nctio'nhbeing such that the voli-'c is positively started by tile direct action ofthe piston before the springs :ire cerricd beyond their deadcenter,substuuiinlly es described. l

l5. The combination of tile sliding valve, diaphragm, rock shaft carrying arms arranged to ineke contact with said voire, on arm on tile rockshai't connected to rods sliding is stationary bearings :it the outer ends, springs around said rods, and connections between thc piston and rock-shaft, substantially' es described.

16. The'conibinetion of the piston, pistonrod, guided raclc connected with the rod, rockshaft, und tooihed pinion thereon gearing with tile rack, and tbe spring or springs directly connected to the scid toothed pinion, substan tieily as described.

l?. Tile diaphragm and piston, combined with pressure-cones detachable from the case, arranged r(ibove and below the same ond curved inward, substantially as and ior tile purpose set forth. l

18. The cones combined with the iexible diaphragm and provided with nptnrned izingcs adapted. to ai recess in the casing, substnntially as described.

1v. im. concs with iuturned iwnges et their inner edges and combined with the flexible diaphragm, as and for-'tbe purpose set forth.

in testimony whereof i have' signed my nameto this specification in the presence of two sublscribing witnesses. 1 a JGHN THOMSGN. Witnesses:

L. H. Essex, J As. G. COOPER. 

